


Varian, Son of Quirin, Child of the Moon...

by SexyEzekielTDI



Series: Varian of Old Corona [1]
Category: Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Varian (Disney) Redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-19 13:24:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17602172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SexyEzekielTDI/pseuds/SexyEzekielTDI
Summary: This will be my own version of the Moon Varian theory. This is also my own Varian redemption arc. My own take on Season Two as far as we have (plus my own version of future events).That is all.Now for the summary!!!Lyrics for the Moon version of "Healing Incantation" belong to 'lunamikobrony2'.Quotes from the show belong to Disney.Summary:"Flower gleam and glow...Lead me through the night..."V: "I'll get to the bottom of this.......I promise....""Help me if I’m lost..Tell me what’s wrong, what’s right…"V: "Anybody who stands, or has stood in my path, they're going to pay!!!""Heal me when I’m hurt..Shield from Fate’s design.."V: "It's not my fault, none of it is, IT'S HER FAULT!""Guide those who need route..Tell what is wrong, what’s right…"V: "Sorry, Princess! We were in this together, but if I can't have a happy ending than neither can you!""..What’s wrong, what’s right?…"V: "I will make you proud of me, dad. If it's the last thing I ever do..."(That's it so far)





	1. Prologue: “Please, I Need Your Help! My Son is Dying!!” (Preview So Far)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quirin tries to save his son from illness.

Quirin ran as quickly as he could through the snow, a tightly wrapped bundle clutched against his chest. He had to get to the castle as fast as he could. There was no other alternative. The life of his son depended on it.

 

His son.

 

He paused for a moment, ignoring the wind and stinging snow, as he gently unwrapped the bundle slightly. He looked down at the sleeping face of his two year old son. The toddler was very sick, having caught the sickness spreading through Corona. He needed medicine quickly and their village had none.

 

He gently nudged the child's cheek. "Varian, open your eyes, son. Please, for Daddy? Just for a moment.." He continued the action until the tiny toddler opened his eyes with a whine. They were a deep shade of brown, similar to his father's. Varian looked a lot like him, except for the freckles. They were from his late wife.

 

The child's face was pale and there were bags under his eyes. A violent cough left him, fragile body shuddering from chills as well as the snow now hitting his face. Quirin wrapped him back up securely before continuing on.

 

It took him a few more hours to finally reach the island the palace resided on. He forced his way inside, heading for the throne room. "Frederic! Frederic, I need your help! My son is very sick!", he yelled desperately as he burst through the heavy doors. The king stood up, startled. He looked tired. Understandable, considering it has been six years now that the princess has been missing. "Quirin! What is the meaning of this! The castle is on lockdown!", Frederic demanded, the Queen absent from her throne. Quirin ran to him, stopping to catch his breath. "Frederic, my friend. Please. My only son, my little Varian, has caught the virus. I need medicine for him. I know the capital has some!", he looked at the king pleadingly, unwrapping his son enough so Frederic could see him.

 

The king sighed, looking somber. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any extra to spare. I can't help you." Quirin gaped at him. "What?? You said that you'd help us! You promised me that at my wife's funeral!" Frederic grabbed his shoulders firmly. "Quirin, listen to me! I want to help you, I really do! I just can't right now! We barely have enough for the citizens of the capital!", he exhaled, releasing him. He motioned to the guards. "If the child is truly as sick as you say, then I can't have him in the castle. You need to leave." The guards grabbed onto Quirin and started dragging him away. He  struggled desperately, eyes wild.

 

"FREDERIC!! FREDERIC, PLEASE!! PLEASE, I NEED YOUR HELP!! MY SON IS DYING!!! FREDERIC!!!!!", he cried as he was dragged away. He held his son close to him as he was thrown out of the castle. "Dammit! What do I do now..?"

 

He had no choice but to return home and nurse his son back to health in anyway that he could. He'd already lost his wife...he wasn't going to lose Varian too.

 

He began the trek back to Old Corona, holding his son tightly. He was so focused that he didn't notice how the toddler in his arms became strangely silent on the way there....

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Quirin held Varian with one arm as he shut the door to their house, locking it. Then he sighed. He needed to get his son warm first, that time out in the blizzard couldn't have been good for him. He carried him over to the crib he'd built and unwrapped his head. The toddler's eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep. Quirin smiled fondly. His little Varian was so cute and he was looking forward to seeing him grow up. He was already a very smart child, having learned his first word long before the other babies in the village. He was going to do great things one day. Maybe even become a protector of Corona. Who knew?

 

He ran his fingers through the child's dark hair, kissing his forehead. He pulled back slowly, frowning. Varian was really cold, almost fatally so. A wave of fear crashed over him. "Varian?? Varian, open your eyes for Daddy!!", he cried, shaking the toddler in a slight panic. "Varian!! Varian!!!! Wake up!!!" There was no response. No movement. No sign that he was even alive. His heart sank. His son....His son....His son was _dead_. " _VARIAN_!!!!"

 

He must have died on the return trip. He fell to his knees, holding his son close as he sobbed into the toddler's delicate hair. He had nothing left now.

 

He stayed that way for awhile before slowly standing up. He gently rested Varian down in his crib, wiping his eyes. "Rest well, my angel..." He walked to the kitchen, planning on getting some water.

 

 

He sat at the table, feeling empty and helpless. Then he scowled, abruptly standing back up. No. There had to be something he could do. There was one story he had studied before. A story that wasn't as well known as the Sundrop.

 

 

The Moondrop.

 

 

 

(End.)

 

 

(Feedback is really appreciated!!!)

 


	2. Chapter One: “Okay, Ruddiger. Let’s get out of his place..”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian escapes.

 

Drip.

 

 

Drip.

 

 

Drip.

 

 

Drip.

 

 

There it was again, that wretched dripping sound that was driving him crazy. He grit his teeth, tensing with each sound of water hitting the floor. It was the only sound besides his own breathing inside of his cell. He couldn't stand that sound anymore!

 

 

He tangled his bare fingers into his tangled, greasy hair, tugging a little. The shackles around his wrists made a clinking sound at his movement. He closed his eyes, bowing his head with a hissing sound. How hard was it to plug up a damn hole?? He didn't even know where the water was coming from! He was right beneath the castle, and it didn't seem plausible for a hot water pipe to be leaking directly over his specific cell! Right..?

 

 

He released his hair and threw his head back in frustration, smacking the back of his head on the stone wall behind his cot by accident. "Ow!"

He growled as he rubbed the back of his head. “Stupid wall..”, he grumbled under his breath. He hated this place. He’d only been there about a month, but that was too long. He could have been doing something to save his dad in all that time! Oh ho, no, he was locked away while the stupid, promise-breaking, princess and her “friends” got to go out into the world instead! They’d left the day after he’d been locked up he’d heard.

 

 

He grimaced as the cold metal of his shackles bit into his bare wrists. That was another thing. They’d confiscated his gloves, his apron and everything in it, and his goggles when they’d locked him up. He felt so naked without them. At least he had Ruddiger. If he was completely alone, he might have gone insane by now. That’s how terrible this place was.

 

 

Well, it could be worse honestly. He actually had one of the nicer cells, thanks to some promise the king made to the Princess. He got nicer food, not that he ate it really. He had a more comfortable cot, not that he slept much. The guards let him draw on the walls when he asked for chalk, for plotting purposes. Not to mention that they could have put him in with one of the other prisoners, the Stabbington Brothers for example or that lady opposite him who kept trying to talk to him, but he was given isolation from them instead. He didn’t mind that in all actuality. Plus, and this was the strangest thing, the queen came to see him once a day. She always came at the same time, just as the sun was beginning to set. The first few times, she had tried to get him to talk to her. Tell her why he did what he did. Tell her what he would have done had he ended up killing Rapunzel. Tell her why. She demanded to know why. Why. Why. Why. Of course he had said nothing each time and then she’d finally give up and leave. Not before wishing him a good night, though. He didn’t understand that. Didn’t she hate him?

 

 

She hadn’t returned for three days and he’d hoped that she’d gotten the hint and wouldn’t come back. He’d underestimated her stubbornness, apparently. She came back again, this time with a book from the castle library. It had been a book about theoretical physics and was obviously far above her intelligence level. That didn’t seem to phase her though. She’d simply sat down on the other side of the bars and started reading it to him. He’d.....actually listened...and if he’d cracked a small smile at her struggling to read some of the words and at her very confused face, well he’d never share that information with her. They’d moved on to books about flora and fauna types, a book about alchemy that he was honestly surprised they’d had, and a book about metalwork. More recently, she’d started reading the “Tales of Flynnigan Rider” series to him. Rapunzel must have told her about his love for the series. This was where he’d gotten his inspiration.

 

 

A week ago, he’d sent Ruddiger out to get him something he could use as a makeshift file. His beloved raccoon hadn’t disappointed. That’s when he’d started filing through the tops and bottoms of the bars in his window. He would do it at night, using the loud snoring of the others to mask the scraping sound. He was proud to say that he was just about done and he could escape whenever he chose to. He just needed the perfect moment.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

He was stroking Ruddiger’s back when he heard the sound of her heels against the stone floor.

 

 

Click.

 

 

Click.

 

 

Click.

 

 

Click.

 

 

Then it stopped, right outside his cell. He didn’t lift his head, continuing to pet his happily chittering companion. Maybe she’d get the hint this time and -

 

 

“Good evening, Varian..”

 

 

Damn.

 

 

“Is it..?”, he answered flatly, refusing to look up.

 

Queen Arianna sighed, sounding a mix of frustrated and.....fond..? Huh. “Must we do this everyday? You can’t come up with anything else to say..?”

 

 

He pursed his lips, biting his tongue. He mulled over his next words carefully. He glanced up through his greasy bangs as he spoke to her, trying to not let her hear his own frustration. “What else would you like me to say, Your Majesty? I have nothing to say to you that won’t get me in trouble with the Captain.”, he told her honestly, mocking her title a little bit.

 

She smiled sadly. “I see. How disappointing. I was hoping we’d made some progress. (Varian scoffed at that.) No matter. Let’s continue where we left off yesterday, yes?” She sat down and began to read to him.

 

And, he listened. He truly did, letting himself relax for once. His stroking on Ruddiger’s back slowed as he let himself become immersed in the story.

 

She got through a couple of chapters before closing the book and standing, smoothing out her skirt with her free hand. She walked up to the bars, wrapping her fingers around one of them. Her green eyes were so very expressive when she looked at him. She was hopeful that he’d see reason someday and accept responsibility for his actions. Once he managed to do that, she was hoping to persuade her husband to lighten the boy’s sentence. Varian was only a child after all. That was the reason she kept coming back day after day. He was a misguided, grieving, child who had made terrible decisions fueled by anger and pain. Despite what he’d done, she couldn’t find it in herself to hate him. Did she fear him? Perhaps a little. She still had nightmares of his robot attempting to crush her in its metal fingers, after all. He wasn’t forgiven yet, but she hoped one day he’d earn that forgiveness.

 

He looked back at her coolly, the moon’s rays already spilling through his ground-level window. For a moment...she thought that odd blue streak in his hair was glowing in the light..but that couldn’t be right. She blinked, shaking her head a little. She focused on his freckled face instead. “Have a good night, Varian.”

 

Varian frowned, thinking. He sighed as she turned to leave. “Sleep well, Queen Arianna...”, he responded hesitantly. She paused, turning back to face him. She seemed pleasantly surprised. That was the first time he’d answered. She smiled at him. “You as well, Varian. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned and walked away gracefully.

 

He looked down at his raccoon. “Yeah....tomorrow...”, he mumbled distantly. He sighed, closing his eyes. He’d decided before she’d arrived. He was leaving tonight.

 

He reopened his eyes, picking up Ruddiger and looking the raccoon in the eyes. “Alright, buddy. We’ve been here long enough, don’t you think?”, he whispered. Ruddiger chittered at him. “Exactly. So, I need you to do something for me. Listen close, okay? I need something thin yet strong that I can use to pick the locks on my shackles. Alright?” Once Ruddiger made a sound showing that he understood, Varian put him on the floor. The raccoon ran off, squeezing through the bars before scampering off. Now all he had to do was wait.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ruddiger returned soon enough with a metal wire clamped between his teeth. He scampered up into Varian’s lap and dropped his prize into the teen’s waiting hands. Varian smiled at him, scratching behind his ears. “Good job. It’s time.” He focused on the shackle around his right wrist, sticking the wire into the keyhole. He bit his lip as he wiggled it around, concentrating. He grinned when the metal ring clicked open and fell from his thin wrist. He repeated the process on the other side.

 

 

Then he stood, rubbing his sore and bruised wrists. Ruddiger moved to the boy’s shoulders. Varian looked at the window, before glancing at his pet. “Okay, Ruddiger. Let’s get out of this place..” He grabbed his makeshift file out from under his pillow and then climbed onto his cot, finishing what he’d started. He removed the bars one by one. He exhaled before letting Ruddiger go out first. Then he stuck his head and arms out of the now unblocked opening, scrambling to pull himself up and out. It took him a bit, but he dragged himself out into the grass. Then he stood, Ruddiger climbing up to his shoulders, and looked up at the moon above him. He breathed in the clean air, feeling the cool breeze. Then he started to run, letting out a victorious laugh.

 

 

 

It wouldn’t be until dawn that they would discover his empty cell. The king was alerted at once.

 

 

Varian, the dangerous alchemist from Old Corona, had escaped.

 

 

(End.)


	3. Chapter Two: WANTED ALIVE: Varian of Old Corona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian finds a lead.

 

A twisted mix of horror and rage curled inside of his heart as he looked at how much Old Corona had been take over in the span of only a few weeks. There were black rocks everywhere, a lot more than before. Houses were completely speared, some had even been knocked over. It was quiet, unusually quiet. The other villagers must have fled to somewhere else. Old Corona felt....dead. It made his bitterness towards the royal family increase, his upper lip curling into a sneer.

 

 

Ruddiger chittered into his ear, distracting him for a moment. He swallowed, one hand curling into a fist before loosening just as quickly. "Right. Priorities. Let's go home." They had limited time after all. It would be only a matter of time until the guards discovered his absence and began to search the kingdom and beyond for him. He was a wanted fugitive now, a threat to the kingdom and its people. He didn't want to hurt the damn people, not directly anyway. He just wanted to free the only family he had. He wanted to make his dad proud of him...

 

 

He walked down the hill, having to crawl through a wall of black rock just to get to what was left of his house. There was still a huge hole in the front from him smashing his giant automaton through the door and wall. Another thing to apologize to his father for. He'd been blinded by desperate rage at that point, not thinking clearly. He sighed, walking through the hole and gazing at the one that had been the door to his 'lab'. It had been their basement at one point. He tensed, remembering what and who was down there. "C'mon, Varian..", he grumbled to himself stubbornly, "You can do this. We can just...cover him with a tarp or something. Your extra clothes and your alchemy stuff is down there. You need them." He forced himself to walk as he gave himself a hesitant pep talk. "I mean you also need a bath. Your hair has never been this flat before, you know.." Was he crazy, talking to himself out loud like that..? Probably. He had been locked in the castle dungeons for a month with nothing to talk to but a raccoon and a stubborn Queen. He headed down the stairs....

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Rapunzel was cleaning up their campsite when her father's bird landed on her head. Her, Eugene, and Cassandra had been on the move for almost a month now as they attempted to follow the black rocks. She was hopeful and also nervous about this. She really wanted to know more about them and possible find a way to get rid of them, which was the true goal of this. Of course..they weren't getting far without a way of knowing what the rocks were made of.. They could really use Var-

 

 

Nope. Stop that train of thought right now, young lady! You haven't thought about him in a month. Or at least, you've tried not to.

 

 

Anyway, she paused in putting out the fire and took the letter from the bird. "Guys...this is my father's personal messenger bird. Something must be wrong.", she spoke up. Cassandra looked over, her hand on her horse's saddle. "What could possibly be wrong?" Eugene rolled up his sleeping bag. "Maybe let her read the letter, Cass?", he smirked at the raven-haired girl. She narrowed her eyes at him. Rapunzel rolled her eyes before opening the letter. Her face paled and her eyes widened as she read it, her mouth falling open. Eugene was at her side in an instant. "What is it, Blondie..?", he asked quickly, concerned. Cassandra walked over as well. "Raps..?"

 

 

Rapunzel inhaled sharply. "A-According to my father, Varian escaped from his cell sometime last night. My dad's warning us.."

 

 

There was a double exclamation of, "WHAT???"

 

 

Rapunzel showed them the second piece of paper that was sent with the letter. It was a wanted poster. There was a sketch of Varian's head and shoulders without his goggles. He was glaring up from under his overgrown bangs, a scowl on his freckled face. "Wanted Alive, Varian of Old Corona..", Cass read outloud. "Wanted for treasonous crimes against Corona. Is extremely intelligent and is dangerously skilled in alchemy. Approach with caution.", Eugene finished in disbelief. "Well damn.."

 

 

Rapunzel swallowed. "This is bad. Really bad. He could be anywhere by now!" Though, if she had to guess, he had probably returned home. Who knew how long he would stay there, though!

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Despite the water being freezing cold, he admittedly felt a lot better now that he was clean and wearing clean clothes. He'd covered his amber encased father with a few sewn together blankets and he was currently filling his satchel with vials and glass orbs. He tapped a now gloved finger, for a true alchemist never went without an extra set of leather gloves (or goggles), against his lips. What else did he need? Well, he needed a plan of course. That much was obvious. Hmm...

 

 

He headed back up the stairs and into the remains of his house. There had to be something around here that could help him. The only logical option he could see was to just search everywhere he could think of. It wasn't the best plan, but it was all he had at the moment. He had to think fast. His father was always very vague about Varian's younger days. Varian had always felt like his dad was hiding something from him. What was it? Perhaps some sort of letter from another land that Quirin had come from? Someplace he didn't want Varian to go to? That was the only assumption he could make. He started looking through drawers, in books, even under their furniture. Then he came across a locked drawer in his father's desk. Aware of his lack of time, he decided to simply pick the lock and force the drawer open.

 

 

There was a rolled up scroll inside the drawer. He furrowed his eyebrows as he unrolled it. "On the night the Sundrop fell, the moon released her own. It became a beautiful blue flower, known as the Moondrop. Much more powerful and more dangerous than its sister, it was kept in a hidden temple on the outskirts of the land.." His eyes were wide. This flower....this flower could save his dad! He had to find it!

 

 

He froze at the sound of approaching horses. He was out of time. "Shit!"

 

 

He darted back down to the basement, stuffing the scroll into the bag. He grabbed the bag and Ruddiger, then disappeared into the tunnel beneath his lab.

 

 

He had to find that temple.

 

 

He had to save his dad.

 

 

He had to make his dad proud.

 

 

**Even if he died trying.**

 

(End.)

 


	4. Chapter Three: The Hunt for the Moondrop.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian...Varian...Varian was...

Cassandra had been the one to make the decision to press on after the rocks. "Varian is no longer our concern and my father is more than capable of catching him.", she'd said. Rapunzel wasn't so sure of that. Varian was smart and he was quick. He was capable of more than they'd realized. Look what he'd done in the first place! He was a major threat! He'd proven that he was willing to do ANYTHING to get what he wanted! She didn't voice her concerns though, not wanting to upset her friends further.

 

Eugene stopped his horse after a moment, motioning for the other two to stop as well. "Eugene..?", Rapunzel questioned quietly. He shushed her, motioning for them to listen. The sound of running could be heard, rapidly approaching from somewhere behind them. Then a familiar figure raced through the trees a few feet to their right, running around them, clutching the strap of his satchel and his raccoon on his shoulders. Cassandra gasped. "Varian!"

 

Varian skidded to a stop, whipping around to face them. His face quickly twisted into a nasty sneer, piercing blue eyes blazing with rage directed at all three of them. He was tense, ready to bolt or to attack if he needed to. Rapunzel took notice of how worn out he looked, how much thinner he was than the last time she'd seen him. Prison time had not been very kind to him. She blinked, refocusing as Varian took a step backwards. One of his gloved hands went into the bag strapped to his body. It was the same bag he'd had the day he had came to her, begging for help she wasn't able to give. "Leave me alone!!", he snapped at them, his voice cracking a little from his tangled emotions. "I won't let you get in my way  **again**!!" He suddenly threw a glass orb at them, purple smoke filling the air and blocking their view of him. He took off running, pushing himself to go as fast as he possibly could.

 

"Varian! Wait!", Rapunzel cried, urging Max to run through the smoke in pursuit of the boy she had once called 'friend'. The boy who had lied to her, tricked her, and betrayed her in the matter of a few seconds. The boy who still needed her help. This time, this time, she was going to give it to him. "Varian, please! I want to help! I know I let you down before, but I swear that this time is different!", she yelled desperately, tears forming in her eyes. He couldn't run forever. Eventually, he'd run out of stamina and be forced to stop. 

 

She caught up to him soon enough, Maximus much faster than the male teenager on foot. She jumped down from her saddle and grabbed one of his arms. "Varian, please! Stop and listen to me!" He was gasping for air as he glared at her over his shoulder. "Let...Let go..", he forced out through his teeth. "I won't.", she answered firmly. "Not until you listen to what I have to say." She swallowed. "We don't have much time until Eugene and Cass catch up to us. Let me help you, please! Whatever you need, I'll try my best to provide. You don't have to trust me. I just want to help, like I should have before...", she was pleading with him now, sincerity in her green eyes. "Just please let me help you.." He was silent, studying her face. His gaze snapped down to her hand on his arm and then back up to meet her eyes. He sighed heavily out through his nose. "You're right, Princess. I  **don't**  trust you. Not anymore.", he glanced to the side, the gears in his head turning furiously. "I suppose...I could use your horse at least...much faster than my own legs....and you're a packaged deal, yes..?" At her nod, he seemed to hesitantly give in. "Fine. This doesn't mean that we're friends again, though. Got that, Princess?", his tone was stubborn. She nodded, letting go of him with a smile. She climbed back onto Max's saddle. "Get on and we'll be on our way." He exchanged a look with his raccoon. "Don't look at me like that, Ruddiger. I'm not forgiving her. I just need a faster way to the temple. This is the best chance we have whether I like it or not." He climbed on behind her, hesitantly placing his hands on her waist. "Alright! Where are we headed?", she asked, feigning a bit of her usual cheer. "I don't know the exact location. I have an old map, but that's it." She nodded, nudging Max to start running. "You can direct me as we go then!"

 

"What the hell is she doing????", Eugene demanded as they started pursuing the Princess and her new 'ally'. "Why is she helping him???" Cassandra let out a sound of frustration. "How the hell should I know?? Maybe it's some sort of guilt talking!!"

 

They rode through the forest for awhile before Varian spoke up through the wind in their ears. "Have you ever heard of the Moondrop, Princess?" His voice was right in her ear, making her shudder from surprise. He'd been so quiet all this time, she'd almost forgot that he was there. She cleared her throat. "Um...no..? What is it..?", she answered, looking straight ahead. "I didn't know of it either until maybe an hour or two ago. It's the sister flower of the Sundrop. It's supposedly much more powerful and it's considered dangerous. That's what I'm looking for. It's hidden in a temple on the outskirts of the kingdom. If I can find it and use it, I might be able to free my father." She hummed thoughtfully. "We could probably use it to get rid of all the rocks too.." He went silent at that, making her sigh. Of course he still didn't care about the kingdom anymore. He had a one-track mind right now: Free his father and  **then**  he could make things right. "From now on, we'll do this together. I swear on my life.", she vowed, glancing over her shoulder at him for a second. His blue eyes were stormy behind his lowered goggles. She wondered where the happy and eager to please teenager she had met almost a year ago had went...she wanted him back...she missed him....

 

They were soon coming upon a wide gorge that was blocking the way to the other side. She tightened her grip on Max's reigns, urging him to run as fast as he could. "Hold on, Varian! I'm jumping the gorge!", she yelled, her eyes locked onto the chasm before them. She was so focused she barely felt Varian's arms wrap tightly around her torso, his face buried in her back as he braced himself. She squeezed her eyes shut as Maximus leapt into open air, heart pounding, not opening them again until they had landed on the other side. Max's hooves pounded against the dirt as he continued on in the direction Varian had told them to go. Speaking of Varian, he was trembling a little as he released his tight hold on her. "Holy shit..", he breathed. She snorted, glancing at him again. "Since when did  **you**  start swearing..?", she joked, forgetting herself for a moment. She immediately regretted the words when he scowled darkly, not responding. They weren't friends anymore, she had to remind herself. Not to Varian at least. She swallowed nervously, facing forward. This was so awkward! She didn't know how to act around him anymore. The littlest thing she said or did seemed to set off his temper and she didn't know what to do...

 

Eugene and Cass managed to find a huge pine tree that had fallen over the gorge, crossing it like a bridge.

 

 

Varian yelled for them to stop once they came across a doorway on the mountainside they were quickly approaching. He jumped off of Maximus before they had fully stopped, Rapunzel doing the same once the horse had stopped. The young alchemist was looking closely at the door blocking his way when she walked over. "Is this it..?", she asked hesitantly, looking at it as well. "It has to be! The moon is engraved in the center of the door!", he lifted his goggles, frustrated. "I don't know how to open them, though! They look sealed shut!" She gently rested her hand on one of his shoulders. "Varian.." Just as she expected, he shrugged her hand off. "No! I refuse to fail again! There  **has**  to be a way in!" He slammed his fist against the doors angrily, tears forming in his eyes. "Varian, it's okay. We'll just have to...we'll...we'll..." The words died in her throat as the streak of blue in Varian's hair suddenly lit up, the designs on the door lighting up in response. He stumbled backwards as the doors slowly dragged themselves open, revealing the pitch-black interior of the temple. "Wh-Wha..??", he gasped, eyes wide with confused shock. "Varian! Your hair is glowing!", she squeaked out, her hands coming up to her mouth. He tugged at his hair, seeing the glowing blue strands for himself. "But...But...that's not possible! I'm not magical! I...I don't.....I don't even....", he was struggling to get his racing thoughts in order. The glow faded after a moment and he released his hair. Rapunzel rested a hand on his upper back, hoping to help ground both of them. He swallowed before storming ahead into the dark chamber. She followed, the doors closing behind the two of them and trapping them both in the dark. "Princess! There's a staircase leading down back here!", Varian called to her, his blue eyes the only visible thing in the pitch-blackness. She headed in the direction of his voice, the two descending down the stairs together.

 

Torches around the room lit up one by one as they entered the lower chamber, lighting up the room. Varian cried out as he ran over to the empty altar in the back of the room. "NO! NONONONO!!! It can't be gone!!", he collapsed to his knees and tangled his fingers into his hair. "This was my last chance!! No!! It's not fair!!", he started sobbing into his lap. Heart sinking, he was giving into his despair. Rapunzel walked over to him. "Varian...I...I'm so sorry...", she murmured, feeling helpless about how to help him now. "No! Nononononono!!! What could have happened to it????", he wailed heartbrokenly. Rapunzel flinched at the agony in his voice. "Varian..." The torches in the room suddenly glowed blue, a blue smoke forming and starting to curl around the room. Varian lifted his head with a rather disgusting-sounding sniffle, looking around at the illuminated walls. "Huh..? Th-There's writing on the walls....the same language as that scroll I gave to you..." Rapunzel blinked before looking around. "Really? Can you translate it like you did with that scroll..?" He stood and looked at the writing, his gaze sharp and analytical. "It...It's like that song you sang...but different...let's see here..." He cleared his throat. "Flower gleam and glow, lead me through the night. Help me if I'm lost, tell me what's wrong..what's right..." Rapunzel gasped as Varian's hair lit up again as he recited the song in an even tone of voice. "Heal me when I'm hurt, shield from Fate's design. Guide those who...Ah!!!" He suddenly screamed, collapsing to his knees. Every strand of hair on his head lit up a silvery blue, his freckles lighting up one by one. "Varian!!", Rapunzel cried, dropping down beside him. "Varian!!" He threw his head back, opening his eyes. They too were glowing that same silvery blue.

 

 _"You wish to know what happened to the Moondrop..yes..? I can show you..."_  , a voice whispered around them. The smoke began forming into memories. Memories from almost twelve years before.

 

Quirin, Varian's father, running through the snow while carrying a deathly sick two year old.

 

Quirin begging the king for help and being denied.

 

Quirin returning home, only to discover that his son had died.

 

(Tears started streaming down Varian's face.)

 

Quirin following the same map that Varian had, making his way to the temple.

 

Quirin stealing the moondrop flower.

 

Quirin using the flower to bring his dead son back to life, turing the child's hair and eyes blue.

 

Quirin cutting off the child's hair, hoping to seal off the magic that way.

 

Varian growing up with a single streak of blue left in his hair...eyes a piercing blue....

 

 

Varian made a choking sound as the smoke swirled around him, blood starting to drip from his nose and down his chin. He fainted into Rapunzel's arms, his body warm to the touch. "Varian!! Varian, wake up!!", she begged, clutching him close to her. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. 

 

Varian...Varian...Varian was...

 

The glow faded and the torches dimmed down to normal as the smoke disappeared. Rapunzel swallowed. She had to get him out of here and back to the castle, where she could protect him. He was just like her..

 

She stood, moving Varian's limp body onto her back as she slowly headed back up the stairs. The doors had reopened by the time she made it back up. Eugene and Cass were waiting for them. "Rapunzel! What were you thinking, running off like that! What...", Eugene's rant trailed off as him and Cass took in the sight of Rapunzel with an unconscious alchemist on her back. Varian's nose was still bleeding. "Raps..?" Rapunzel seemed to still be a little bit in shock. She opened and closed her mouth a few times as she struggled to speak. "Guys...you...you guys aren't going to believe what just happened...", she finally got out. "Try us..", Eugene frowned. She hung her head. "V-Varian was looking for a flower called the 'Moondrop' so that he could save his dad. He thought it was the only chance he had...but...but it turns out that his dad used the flower to bring him back to life after he died of sickness when he was a toddler...", she swallowed. "Varian's now the Moondrop himself....just like how  **I'm**  the Sundrop now..." She lifted her head. "He needs to be protected now, not imprisoned. He's just as important as I am. Help me get him back to the castle."

 

Eugene helped her get Varian onto Maximus and they took off back the direction they came. Back to the castle.

 

A single tear slipped down Varian's face....

 

(End.)


End file.
